


A Whole New Love

by Geekygirl24



Category: Aladdin (1992), Hercules (1997)
Genre: M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-07-25 03:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16189091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekygirl24/pseuds/Geekygirl24
Summary: Prompt from Saphira Winters: What if It was Hercules and Aladdin as the couple and instead of the pillar falling on top of Meh like in the movies, it fell on Aladdin and Hercules has to go to the underworld to retrieve his soul to bring him back to life. I'm always wanted to see that happen. So if it wasn't too much trouble could you perhaps do it? :-).... I needed to write a full story about it





	1. Chapter 1

“Ummmm… Phil?”

 

Phil didn’t pay him any attention, too focused on trying to find someone for Hercules to rescue. The trip to Thebes had been quiet, with nothing remarkable happening.

 

“Phil?!”

 

Groaning under his breath, he turned his attention to the new hero, frowning at the stunned look on the man’s face…. however, when he followed the gaze, he knew instantly what Hercules was staring at.

 

Or rather, who.

 

“Don’t stare kid.” He chided Hercules, “If you want to be a hero, you’ve got to get used to them.”

 

“… Who are they?”

 

‘They’ referred to a several, darker skinned men and women who were buying a selling from stalls in the marketplace.

 

“Araves…. Or Arabs.” Phil explained, “They come from the hotter countries to the south, sand and spoon, travelling over the seas to set up shop here. They bring spices and fine silk, so they make a fair bit of money. They’re nice…. Good people. Good people who don’t really want to be stared at!”

 

A slight flush on his face, Hercules nodded and turned away.

 

Phil couldn’t be too mad with him. The Araves tended to settle in either Athens or Thebes, it was extremely unlikely that they would have made there way to the small village that Hercules came from. 

 

As they continued to walk through the streets, Hercules could hear someone yelping… as though they were in pain.

 

“Phil…”

 

“Not our problem kid, just keep on- kid!”

 

Hercules ignored him, moving closer to where the shouting was coming from.

 

Heading further into the marketplace, Hercules frowned at the sight of a large, dark-skinned man, pinning another, much younger man against the wall near the stall.

 

“Dirty little street-rat!” he was screaming in the young man’s face, “Where’d you get those coins, huh?”

 

The young man was clearly trying to protest his innocence, struggling against the grip, kicking out when he could, but barely managing to hurt the man. The protests only grew in volume as the larger man pulled him over to a wooden block that was hidden behind the man’s stall… along with a curved blade.

 

Hercules couldn’t stay where he was any longer. Clearing his throat, he stepped forwards, catching the larger man’s attention. “Begging your pardon Sir…” he spoke up, “… But I am reasonably sure that that is not the way crime is dealt with around here.”

 

“It’s how we deal with it…” the larger man sneered, “…. No hands, which means that they can’t steal anything.”

 

“I didn’t steal anything!” the young man protested, turning pleading eyes on Hercules as he continued to struggle against the grip, “My Master gave me money to pay! You accepted that amount last week!”

 

Finding himself slightly transfixed by the large brown eyes, Hercules took another step forward. “Sir…” he spoke up again, “…. You can’t do this. It isn’t right!”

 

“Oh yeah… and I suppose you’re going to stop me?”

 

Before Hercules could say anything, the large man suddenly lunged for him and punched him in the face…. only to yell in pain and take a step back when the Greek barely flinched at the hit, merely turning his head with the force of the strike.

Before Mick could say anything, the bald man suddenly lunged for him and punched him in the face… only to take a step back when Mick barely flinched at the hit, merely turning his head with the force of the strike.

 

“This really isn’t necessary…” Hercules tried to interject as the man lunged again and again, “…. Just calm down and- “He sighed wearily when there was no sign of the man stopping any time soon. Gently taking the man’s shoulders, he moved him to one side and headed over to the young man, who was still looking a little unsure as to what was happening.

 

“T-thanks…” the man whispered, a small smile spreading across his face as Hercules helped him to his feet, “… I- “

 

Before he could finish, there was a growl from the right as the large stall-keeper got over his shock of being moved casually to one side and decided to try and take Hercules down again.

 

“Excuse me.” Hercules quickly smiled at the young man, before spinning around and bracing himself, stopping the large man as he charged at him.

 

“Nice work!” he heard Phil call out from the side-lines, “Excellent-ay!”

 

“Is he… real?” he also heard the younger man ask shyly, before he seemed to turn to Phil and asked, in a shocked voice, “A-are you real?”

 

“Of course I’m real! What, you’ve never seen a satyr before?!”

 

“N-no?”

 

Thankfully, the fight (if it could even be called that) didn’t last long and the larger man ran, screaming about ‘calling the guards’ as he took his wounded pride with him.

 

When Hercules turned to Phil and the young man, a proud smile on his face, Phil rolled his eyes.

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, big deal…. You humiliated some big-shot store owner. When you get to the big leagues, you’ll wish you only had to deal with men like him! Don’t get distracted by a random pair of big brown eyes and- “

 

Before Phil could finish, Hercules found his attention drawn back to the younger man, who was leaning against the wall, a slightly stunned look on his face.

 

“Hey…” Hercules greeted, a nervous smile on his face as he made his way over, ignoring Phil’s snarl of frustration, “… are you okay Mister…” He paused, quickly realising that he didn’t actually know the young man’s name.

 

“… Aladdin.” The young man bashfully shuffled from side to side, “But my friends call me Al… or at least they would if I had any friends.”

 

The last bit was muttered under his breath, clearly not intended to be heard…. But Hercules did, and he felt a pang in his heart.

 

He knew what having no friends felt like.

 

“So… Ummm, do you have a name?”

 

Flushing slightly at the realisation that he hadn’t actually introduced himself, Hercules stuck his hand out, wincing as Aladdin flinched, “Sorry, sorry…. Hercules. My name is Hercules.” When Aladdin relaxed, giving him a shy smile, Hercules couldn’t help but return it, eyes darting towards the bruises that were already starting to develop around Aladdin’s wrists, “So… why did he think you were stealing from him?”

 

Aladdin winced, “I-I have… a history of it.” He confessed, “But I have a job now, and money! I-I’ve turned my life around!”

 

At the earnest look on Aladdin’s face, Hercules instantly believed him. 

 

The clothing didn’t look like anything that had come from scavenging on the streets…. In fact, it looked like the fine materials that were hanging from many of the stalls, with golden trimming. 

 

However, before he could say anything in reassurance, Phil grabbed his hand and pulled him away from Aladdin.

 

“We don’t have time for this!” he grumbled, sending Aladdin a quick glare, “Come on kid, we have work to do.”

 

Hercules resisted slightly, not quite wanting to leave Aladdin alone just yet. “Do you need us to give you a lift to wherever your Master works?” he gestured at Pegasus, who was examining Aladdin with curiosity, “I’m sure he won’t mind.”

 

Shyly, Aladdin shook his head, “It’s not a long walk, I think I can handle it. I lived on these streets for years you know… thank you though.” Without letting Hercules say another word, he started to walk around, waving a hand over his shoulder, “Thank you!”

 

As Aladdin disappeared into the hustle and bustle of the crowds within the marketplace, Hercules knew he was staring in that direction… he only hoped he didn’t have a goofy look on his face.

 

“He was… he was something huh?”

 

“O yeah, yeah…” Phil grumbled, “…. A common little thief! Wake up kid! You want to be a hero, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, yeah… I do.”

 

Judging by the stern look on Phil’s face, as he dragged Hercules towards Pegasus, he probably did have a goofy look on his face. However, he allowed himself to be pushed forwards, heading back towards the main street, trying to push Aladdin from his mind.


	2. Collapsed Building

Watched Hercules and his…. friends walk away, Aladdin couldn’t help but smile, head already turning to Abu to say something about the incident.

 

And then he remembered where Abu actually was.

 

The smile falling from his face, Aladdin rushed back to the extravagant home he now resided in, racing through the servants’ entrance and up towards his Masters’ rooms. As he opened the door, he flinched as something flew past his face, a taunting voice in his ears.

 

“Someone’s in trouble!”

 

“N-No, I- “

 

Aladdin winced as a bony hand grabbed him by the chin, turning his head to the left.

 

“What happened boy?” Jafar sneered, “You had one simple task and you couldn’t even manage that, hmmm?”

 

Aladdin remained silent, keeping his eyes on the floor as Jafar continued, “No excuses? No…. ‘Oh please Master, it wasn’t my fault?’”

 

“But it wasn’t!” Aladdin tried to protest, wincing as the grip tightened, “The vendor tried to charge me twice as much, and when I protested, he tried to chop my hand off!”

 

“You are my servant! You have that authority over him, why didn’t you- “

 

“- I was going to, but Hercules interrupted!”

 

Jafar tensed up immediately, causing Aladdin to yelp as the grip on his chin tightened.

 

“Hercules…” Iago mused to himself, “… why does that name sound familiar? Maybe I owe him money or something.”

 

“I’m sorry….” Jafar hissed, “… what was that name again?”

 

“Hercules. He managed to stop the vendor, but the man ran away before I could try and- “

 

“- Wait a minute!” Iago suddenly squawked, already taking off as he seemed to come to a realisation, “Wasn’t Hercules the name of the kid- OH MY GOD!”

 

Aladdin watched in alarm as the parrot tried to make a run for it, only for his Masters’ arm to seem to turn into smoke, it swirling through the room in order to grab the wayward bird.

 

He’d heard the rumours that the man practiced sorcery…. But he never expected it to be true.

 

“So, you took care of him, hmmm?” Jafar hissed as he pulled the parrot back towards him, “Dead as a doornail, weren’t those your exact words?”

 

“Maybe it’s a different Hercules! It’s a very popular – Ugh!”

 

As Iago choked, Aladdin found himself wincing in sympathy, especially as Jafar didn’t seem to be calming down. At a subtle gesture from the older man, Aladdin raced out of the room, thankful for the dismissal.

 

He would have been even more thankful had he known what happened int the room after he left.

 

“I…” Jafar began, frustration oozing out of his voice, as his skin turned blue and his turban seemed to catch on fire, “… am about to rearrange the cosmos…. And the one schlemiel who can louse it up… is waltzing around IN THE STREETS!”

 

Flames flickered all around the room as Iago seemed to split into two.

 

“We can interrupt his waltzing!” Pain nervously spoke up, as Panic nodded frantically.

 

“Yeah, I mean we made him mortal… didn’t we?”

 

Hades was silent for a few minutes, before he took a deep breath, glancing around the room, wincing at the burnt fabrics. “Fortunately for you two, we have time to correct this rather egregious mistake… and the perfect person to do it.”

 

………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

“Young man, we need a professional hero, not an amateur!”

 

The rejection was loud and clear…. It probably would have gone that way even if Phil hadn’t attacked the large, bearded man.

 

“How am I meant to be a hero, if nobody will give me the chance?” Hercules sighed wearily, resting his back against a column and sliding down to the ground.

 

“You’ll get your chance to prove yourself kid…” Phil tried to reassure him, patting him on the shoulder, “We just need some kind of catastrophe or natural disaster.”

 

A tense silence fell between the pair, as they watched the crowd pass them. They were there for at least five minutes, before they heard a familiar voice rising above the crowd.

 

“Help! Please, I need someone’s help! Please!”

 

“Aladdin?” Hercules muttered, straightening up slightly in an attempt to see who exactly was calling out for help, ignoring how Phil muttered “speaking of disasters.”

 

Once he was at his full height, it was easy to spot Aladdin, trying to push past the crowd, only for many to push him away…. Thankfully, it meant that it was easy for Aladdin to spot him as well.

 

“Hercules!” the man seemed relieved to see him, finally managing to push past the last few people and run over to the larger man, “You need to help, please! There’s been a terrible accident!””

 

“W-What’s going on? What’s happened?”

 

Aladdin was panting, clearly having raced from wherever this accident was in order to try and find someone. “On the e-edge of the city, there are houses that the street children use… one of the collapsed and t-they’re trapped! A brother and a sister! They’re not even ten!”

 

“Kids? Trapped?” A big, beaming grin appeared on Hercules’s face as he spun around and lifted Phil up into the air, “Phil, this is great!”

 

“Ummmm….” Aladdin frowned in confusion, “… Hercules?”

 

As Hercules gently grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the winged horse, Aladdin followed on blindly, eyes widening as he was lifted onto the back of the horse, with Hercules climbing on in front.

 

“I hope you’re not afraid of heights!” Hercules cried out, as they prepared to take off.

 

“No, actually I think is really EXCITING!” 

 

Clutching Hercules tightly, Aladdin didn’t dare close his eyes for even a second, not wanting to miss anything as he directed Hercules where to go.

 

Neither of them noticed that Phil had been left behind.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

They reached the edge of the city in record time, where a crowd was already gathering, alerted to the place by the sounds of scared children calling out for help.

 

Hercules quickly dismounted, smiling shyly as he helped Aladdin off the back. 

 

“That was… amazing!” Aladdin exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair to tray and neaten it, “I don’t think I could ever just walk anyway again.”

 

Before Hercules could answer, before he could even really think about asking Aladdin out for another flight sometime, he heard the children crying out.

 

“HELP! HELP!”

 

As Aladdin disappeared into the crowd, Hercules rushed over to the collapsed building, wincing at the amount of wood that was blocking the doorway, with only small gaps for oxygen.

 

“HELP! MY BROTHER CAN’T BREATHE!”

 

Hercules knelt near the gaps, peering inside to try and see them. “Hey, everything’s going to be alright!” he called in soothingly, sighing in relief as two small faces came to the front.

 

Aladdin was right, these children can’t have been more than ten combined!

 

“My b-brother!” the girl whimpered, “You need to help my brother!”

 

“I will, I will… are either of you hurt?”

 

Vaguely, he saw her shake her head, prompting another sigh of relief from him. Keeping one hand on the collapsing home as stability, he used his other to wrench the wood away, tensing slightly as the building threatened to collapse even further.

 

The strain was enormous, but it gave the children the chance to escape as the crowd begrudgingly started to clap.

 

“You’re really strong!” the girl exclaimed in wonder.

 

“Yeah just…” Hercules tried to give them a reassuring smile, “… be a little more careful next time.”

 

It probably wasn’t their fault that they were stuck living in a place like that, but what else could he really say.

 

“We will!”

 

Using a sturdier piece of wood in order to keep the building up, Hercules slowly backed away, glancing around to see the children disappearing into the crowd, their bare feet slapping against the ground.

 

And people claimed city life was perfect.

 

…………………………………………….

 

“I still think we could have done a better job…” Iago hissed in Jafars’ ear, “… We’re good actors.”

 

“It needed to be realistic.”

 

“Master?”

 

Jafar instantly plastered a fake look of concern on his face, turning as Aladdin cautiously made his way over. “Aladdin!” he exclaimed in relief, “I heard about the accident, and just had to see if there was anything I could do!”

 

Any suspicions that Aladdin might have had disappeared, “I-it’s all okay Master…. I managed to find Hercules. He helped.”

 

“Hurray for the hero then…” Jafar sighed, “… Let us hope that he’s not bitten off more than he can chew.”

 

……………………………………………………………..

 

Unaware of the conflict going on above him, Hercules bounded over to Phil (who was seconds away from passing out in exhaustion), “Did you see that? I think I did really well…. They even applauded!”

 

Before Phil could say anything in reply, there was a long, loud growl that came from the caved in house.

 

“I hate to break it to you kid, but I don’t think that’s applause.”


	3. Forbidden Love

“I hate to break the news to you kid, but I don’t think that’s applause.”

 

Red eyes glared at them from the darkness as it slowly emerged. It was a hideously huge creature, with leathery purple skin, sharp and yellow-stained teeth with spikes that ran up it’s back and long, spindly neck.

 

“P-Phil…” Hercules stammered, taking several steps back as he kept his eyes on the creature, “What is that thing?

 

“Two words!”

 

The creature roared, sending several people running for the hills and screaming. Whatever the two words were, Hercules didn’t really hear them… not when Phil was shoving a sword in his hands and running as far away as he could.

 

Off in the distance, someone seemed to cry out “LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!” as the creature stepped closer.

 

As he danced around the creature, avoiding the sharp teeth, Phil call out hints from the sidelines.

 

“That’s it! Dance around it, dance around- watch the teeth, watch the teeth!!”

 

……………………………………………………………..

 

Watching as Hercules struggled against the horrific creature, Aladdin yelped and groaned as the hero was swallowed, his hand moving up to his own throat.

 

For a minute, everything was silent, until the creature seemed to notice the crowd, lunging forwards in an attempt to try and grab more people for lunch…. And then it stopped, seeming to frown in confusion, glancing down at its’ neck, just as a sword sliced through it from within and the head went tumbling to the floor.

 

When Hercules stepped out, almost instantly falling to the ground, Aladdin couldn’t help but cheer along with the rest of the crowd, not even noticing how Iago seemed to squawk in panic, only to be shushed by Jafar.

 

If he was paying attention to his Master, he would have noticed the sly smirk on the man’s face.

 

The game wasn’t over yet.

 

……………………………………………………………………..

 

Hercules felt like he was going to pass out as he forced his way out of the creature’s clenched fist.

 

That… was a lot more difficult then what he thought he was going to be.

 

When he heard the clapping, quickly rising in volume and intensity as the crowd started to make their way towards him, he couldn't help but beam.

 

It was just like he always wanted.

 

Whooping and cheering, the crowd lifted Hercules onto their shoulder, carrying him out into the main streets. When he caught Phil’s eyes, he waved weakly at him,

 

“Phil… you gotta admit, that was pretty heroic.”

 

“You did it, kid! You won! You won by a landslide!”

 

As the crowd cheered and called out Hercules’s name in glee, Aladdin found himself cheering along with them, clapping eagerly with a beaming smile on his face.

 

He didn’t notice how the temperature seemed to rise slightly as Jafar’s knuckles went white with the grip he had on his staff.

 

………………………………………………………………..

 

From then on, it seemed as though Hercules could do no wrong.

 

His days were full of signing autographs or fighting monsters… Girls seemed to flock towards him, as did the money. From appearance fees and reward money, this was the first time in Hercules’s life that he could honestly say that he had cash to burn.

 

The statue in the centre of the city was a nice touch, as were all the action figures they brought out, lining the shelves and marketplace stalls.

 

And the monsters just kept coming, and he beat down every single one of them without breaking a sweat.

 

Giant birds…. To man-eating fish creatures.

 

The multiple plays from the children were sweet, as were the branded sandals and the sugary drinks.

 

The months passed, and Hercules got used to being a hero. And now, he was having his handprint’s immortalised on the pavement outside the main Temple.

 

Life was good.

 

………………………………………………….

 

Life was not good.

 

In a building not too far from the Temple, high above on a balcony, the heat seemed ten time worse as Jafar growled at the event he was watching.

 

“I cannot believe this…” he hissed, “… I’ve thrown everything I’ve got at him, and it doesn’t even seem to- “

 

And then he heard the squeaking coming from Pain’s feet.

 

Hercules shoes.

 

“What. Are. Those?!”

 

Pain visibly panicked, but tried to play it cool anyway, “Ummm… I think they look kind of dashing?”

 

Wrong answer.

 

“I’ve got twenty-four hours to get rid of this… bozo, before the entire scheme I’ve been setting up for eighteen years goes up in smoke…. AND YOU ARE WEARING HIS MERCHANDISE!”

 

He was seconds away from choking the minion… until he heard the slurping.

 

Panic was drinking a Hercules drink, growing pale as his Master’s eyes landed on him. “Ummm…. Thirsty?”

 

Just before Jafar could really lose his temper, the door opened up to reveal Aladdin, who almost dropped the tray of food he was carrying when his Master’s glare turned on him.

 

“Ummm…. It’s time for some dinner.” He tried to smile, wincing when Jafar’s expression never changed, “I-I was wondering if I could have an afternoon off sometime?”

 

Silence.

 

“Or not…” Placing the tray on the table, Aladdin went over to join his Master on the balcony, not noticing how Iago seemed shaken (and a little burnt around the edge of the feathers). Instead, his attention was grabbed by the sight of Hercules down below.

 

“He’s really helped the city, hasn’t he?” Aladdin sighed, not noticing how Jafar’s eyes instantly snapped to him, “I didn’t even know half those creatures existed until he defeated them.”

 

Jafar chuckled, sending a cold sensation up Aladdin’s spine.

 

“Something will get the best of him.”

 

“You really think so?”

 

“Everyone has a weakness, even the mighty Hercules. For Pandora, it was the box and for the Trojans, they bet on the wrong horse. All someone needs to do, is find what that weakness is.” 

 

There was a brief moment of silence, before Jafar glanced over at Aladdin. “The afternoon off hmmmm? Going to see anyone?”

 

“Ummmm… I- “

 

“- None of my business of course!” Jafar waved his hand in dismissal, “Let me find a good day, and I’ll see what I can do. Maybe we can also let your… pet out?”

 

As Aladdin bowed, stammering out his thanks, he completely missed Jafar’s wicked smirk.

 

Hook. Line. Sinker.

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Hercules couldn’t have felt more depressed than he did at this moment.

 

Posing for some stuck-up painter, only a couple of days after the rejection of his Father.

 

What was the point of all this? What was the point of being a hero, if he couldn’t be with his real family?

 

And Phil just kept droning on and on.

 

“Phil!” Hercules eventually snapped, “WHAT’S THE POINT!?”

“Kid! WHAT’S. THE. POINT?”

 

The artist was startled, making a mess of the canvas, before screaming in frustration and throwing the painting to the ground.

 

“THAT’S IT!”

 

And of course, when Phil tried to stop him, he got a facefull of paint for his troubles.

 

“What do you mean, what’s the point? You want to be with your Dad, don’t you?”

 

Wearily, Hercules removed the lion skin that he’d been forced to wear, throwing it to the ground and burying his face in his hand, “Yeah but… none of this seems to be helping. None of this is getting me anywhere.”

 

“You can’t give up now! I’m counting on you!”

 

“… I gave it all I’ve got.”

 

Hercules sounded so defeated, so unlike himself.

 

“Listen to me kid…” Phil sighed, “… I’ve seen ‘em all, and I’m telling ya.. and this is the honest to Zeus truth… you’ve got something I’ve never seen before.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I can feel it right down in these stubby bowed legs of mine… there ain’t nothing you can’t do!”

 

Before Hercules could say anything else, the door to the apartment slammed open and a gaggle of screaming girls raced into the room, their hands roaming all over the hero as they squealed in delight.

 

“Phil!” Hercules gasped as they pinned him to the floor, “Help!”

 

“Okay, escape plan beta!”

 

“Gotcha!”

 

Within seconds the girls were gone, and Hercules was hidden… he vowed not to come out until the sun had set in the sky.

 

And then he heard the familiar voice.

 

“Hercules? Is that you?”

 

The curtain was moved to one side, and the concerned face of Aladdin appeared.

 

“Aladdin!” Sheepishly, he adjusted his outfit and stepped down, “Have… have they all gone?”

 

Aladdin chuckled slightly, “You should have met the girls back at home… they were worse. Not that I ever attracted their attention. They weren’t the type to go for street rats.”

 

Not knowing exactly what to say to that, Hercules shuffled from side to side, a flush appearing on his cheeks. “I-I missed you…” he stammered nervously, “… I haven’t seen you since the whole building incident.”

 

“My Master had a lot of work for me to do…” Aladdin shrugged, his shy smile still on his face as he glanced around the large room, “… is this what heroes do on their days off? Not that I can talk really… it’s my day off and I’m here visiting a hero.”

 

Pleased with the compliment of being called a hero, Hercules couldn’t help but beam, “I-I’m no hero.”

 

“Of course you are?! The whole town thinks you’re the best thing ever!”

 

“Yeah, it’s… it’s pretty amazing sometimes. I don’t think I’ve had a moments peace since this all started.”

 

Aladdin was silent for a few seconds, before a sly smirk appeared on his face. “So… you’d say you needed a break? Do you think your… friend would be angry if we snuck out for the afternoon?”

 

“Ummmm… I don’t think we could get out of here without being spotted.”

 

“Trust me, I used to be a master at sneaking out…” Aladdin glanced around, almost looking like a small child with a new puzzle, “… we can slip out of the window, use the statue of you as cover, you lift up the back wall and then we’ll be gone!”

 

“… Lead the way.”

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Hercules didn’t think he’d ever been so happy in his life.

 

“Wow…” he chuckled, “… what a day! First that restaurant by the bay, and then that-that play, that Oedipus thing? Man, I thought I had issues!”

 

“Greek plays are bizarre…” Aladdin agreed, paying no attention to the two birds that were frolicking in the bird bath nearby, “…Mind you, for all I know, ours were just as weird.”

 

“You’ve never- “

 

Aladdin cut him off, shaking his head and shrugging, “Never had the money… or social status.”

 

Nodding in understanding, Hercules beamed at him, “Well, thank you for an amazing day then… I hope it was good for you.”

 

“Yes of course! It was- “Suddenly, Aladdin’s ankle twisted from underneath him, sending him falling down the stairs with a loud yelp, with Hercules thankfully catching him before he could break anything on the hard, stone steps.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah…” Aladdin winced as he glanced at his ankle, “… old injury from guards back home. My Master was the one who took me in after it happened, offered me a legitimate job.”

 

As they settled on a stone bench near a fountain, Aladdin leaned over and nudged Hercules in the side, “So… do you ever have problems like that? Old injuries I mean?”

 

Hercules thought to himself for a few moments, before shaking his head, “No. No, I don’t think so.”

 

“No trick knee? Slipped discs?”

 

“No.”

 

As Aladdin rolled his eyes, Hercules couldn’t help but laugh, beaming as the other man leaned against him.

 

“You really are perfect then, huh?” Aladdin didn’t sound frustrated at this, in fact, he sounded admiring.

 

Hercules shook his head, gently letting Aladdin lie down on the bench as he went to skip a stone across the water of the fountain, “I’m not perfect.”

 

The ensuing crash as the stones smashed the arms off of the statue that stood in the middle of the fountain. 

 

Aladdin, of course, found this hilarious, cackling as Hercules groaned and flushed bright red. Seeing that the hero really was embarrassed by what he’d done, he limped over and nudged him in the side. “It looks better like that… really, it does!”

 

As they turned to one another, it was hard to ignore the tension between them. Up above, a shooting star flew through the sky, breaking the spell between them as they pulled away from one another.

 

“You know…”

 

Up above them, a shooting star flew through the sky, breaking the spell between them as they pulled away from one another.

 

“You know…” Hercules cleared his throat, “… when I was a kid, I would have given anything to be like everyone else.”

 

“You wanted to be petty and dishonest?” The words fell out of Aladdin’s mouth before he could stop them, prompting him to slap his hands over it in shock, just as Hercules turned to him in confusion.

 

“Not everybody is like that.”

 

Aladdin sadly shook his head, “I was a street rat Hercules… most people are like that, from the poor to the rich. Most poor people will con money out of hard-working men, the market-place owners don’t hesitate to beat anyone lingering too long at their stalls without buying anything and the rich… well, most of them would wish anyone living on the streets, a nasty death.

 

Hercules frowned at this, watching as Aladdin pulled away from him and turned his face to one side, as though trying to hide his expression. “You’re not like that” he eventually whispered.

 

“I was a street rat… I stole.”

 

“To survive!” Hercules gently turned Aladdin away, placing a finger under the shorter man’s chin in order to encourage Aladdin to look him in the eye, “I don’t care about that. All I know is that you are the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

 

Aladdin knew he was flushing slightly at this, backing away slightly, only to flinch when he backed into a small statue… of Cupid.

 

He just got stabbed by a Cupid’s arrow.

 

“Aladdin…” Hercules continued, “… when I’m with you, I don’t feel so alone.”

 

“Sometimes it’s better to be alone.” Once again, the words came out, without him even meaning to speak them.

 

“…. What do you mean?”

 

Aladdin shrugged, “Nobody can hurt you.” His mind flashed to his Mother’s final days, how she begged the hallucination of his Father to come home, to come back to them.

 

Hercules was silent for a few moments, before he slowly reached out and gently took Aladdin’s hands. “Aladdin… I would never, ever hurt you.”

 

“And I would never hurt you, or at least I would try not to, so we need to stop this… before…” Hercules’s face was getting closer and that same tension that was between them, was building up once again.

 

Seconds before their lips connected, there was a bright light as Phil’s voice echoed throughout the garden. “Break it up! Break it up! Party’s over!”

 

Pegasus landed in front of them, a lantern on his head that lit up the pair.

 

“We’ve been looking all over this town for you!”

 

Aladdin winced, pulling himself away from Hercules, “Don’t be mad!” he yelled, trying to be heard over the sound of Pegasus’s wings, before he blew out the candle, “It was just one afternoon!”

 

“You’re already in my bad books!” Phil sneered at Aladdin, before storming over to Hercules and grabbing his hand, dragging him back to Pegasus, “And you! You’re coming with me and getting the work out of your life!”

 

“Alright! Alright!” Hercules gently pulled away, before turning back to Aladdin, “Sorry about him…” he whispered, reaching up and grabbing the nearest branch of a blossoming tree, not seeming to care that he was almost pulling the tree completely on to it’s side as he picked a flower and handed it to Aladdin, “… He’ll get over it. I hope.”

 

When Aladdin took the flower from him, Hercules seized his opportunity, leaning over and kissing the other man on the cheek.

 

“Move it Hercules! Come on! Come on! Come on! Move it!”

 

As Hercules clambered onto Pegasus’s back, a dopy grin on his face, he kept his eyes on Aladdin, numbly waving at him as Pegasus darted forwards and started to fly away.

 

“Hercules!” Phil ducked to avoid a branch, “Hercules, keep your eyes on the front you- UGH!”

 

Too preoccupied with making sure Hercules was paying attention, he failed to pay attention himself.

 

Low-hanging branch… just like he predicted.

 

“That’s it….Next time… I driveeeeeeee.”

 

………………………………………………………………..

 

Aladdin felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest.

 

Why was he doing this? Why was he feeling this way?

 

He knew what happened to men who had feelings for other men… he’d seen it before.

 

Yes, they were more liberal about it in Greece, but those feelings were still hard to deal with.

 

He quickly turned his thoughts away from the memories of his old home, and the guards who would have been all too happy to see what had just happened then. Slowly, he started walking through the gardens.

 

This was too cliché… falling for the man who’d saved him.

 

Hercules wouldn’t be allowed to stay with him, Aladdin reasoned to himself, He’d be encouraged to marry the perfect woman and produce lots of little heroes that could say Greece with their hands tied behind their backs.

 

There was no point getting attached.

 

The thought didn’t stop him from smiling when he saw the statue of Hercules they’d set up in the centre of the gardens.

 

Hercules was the one who kissed him… maybe he’d ignore everyone else and choose Aladdin over some strange woman.

 

“Alright…” he whispered to himself, the flower still in his hands, “…. Maybe I love him… just a little bit.”

 

“Well… isn’t that interesting?”


	4. His Master

“Well… isn’t that interesting?”

 

Aladdin couldn’t help but gasp as he spun around, frowning when his Master stepped out of the darkness and tilted his head to one side.

 

“So… does Hercules have any weaknesses?”

 

Aladdin felt a shudder run up and down his spine at the question. “I-I-I… what are you talking about?”

 

Jafar stepped closer, a sly smirk on his face. “You must have a hearing problem… there’s no room for a servant who can’t here.” His face turned serious, “Does Hercules have any weaknesses?”

 

“I-I-I- “

 

“Stop stammering boy and tell me!”

 

Aladdin flinched back at the anger, yelping as the bare skin of his arms made contact with the cool marble, his Master practically pinning him to the wall with how close he was now. Jafar seemed almost amused at his fear, one bony hand coming up to grab his chin, “You seem to be forgetting a teensy-wincey, ever so crucial, little tiny detail? I OWN YOU!”

 

……………………………………………………………………………………..

 

“Ah…” Phil groaned as he slowly came to, “…. Ah, I think I got another horn! The kid’s going to be doing laps for a month for this!”

 

“… if I sing, you name that tune.”

 

Phil frowned at the unfamiliar voice, peeking his head around the corner and frowning at what he saw. Aladdin was practically pinned against a nearby wall by an older man, who had a death-grip on the boy’s chin.

 

Now Phil wasn’t a big fan of Aladdin… but he didn’t deserve that treatment.

 

“If I say I want Hercules’s head on a platter, you say…”

 

“… Leave me alone!” Aladdin tried to struggle free, “Why are you doing this?”

 

Phil knew his face was pale. Someone wanted Hercules dead and they were trying to get Aladdin to do it. 

 

Aladdin was holding out for now, but there was every chance he would break soon… and it would break Hercules when he did.

 

Without hearing the rest of the conversation, he raced off, heading back to the training arena.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

“You hear that?” Jafar whispered, “That’s the sound of your freedom, fluttering out of the window forever.”

 

Smokey red butterflies hovered in front of Aladdin’s face for a few seconds before he brushed them away, “I-I don’t care!” he straightened up, “I-I won’t let you hurt him!”

 

“So, worked up over another man… what would your fellow countrymen think?”

 

The threat was obvious, but Aladdin remained strong. “I don’t care…I’m keeping him safe.”

 

“Naïve little boy!”

 

The flower still in his hands, Aladdin just shook his hand, “You can’t stop him… he has no weakness! He’s going to- “ The hand around his throat stopped him in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat as Jafar leaned in close.

 

“No weaknesses hmmm?” Jafar smirked, “Actually… I really think that he does.” He plucked the flower from Aladdin’s hands, and at his simple touch, the flower withered and died.

 

The meaning was clear.

 

…………………………………………………………………………..

 

Phil didn’t know how long he stood there, watching Hercules race around the training course in glee, leaping over obstacles and cartwheeling around, all with a beaming smile on his face.

 

He almost didn’t want to tell him.

 

“Hey Phil!” Hercules finally spotted him, a grin on his face, “Where’d you go?”

 

“Kid, we need to talk.”

 

Hercules clearly wasn’t listening to him, the grin still on his face. “Oh Phil, I’ve just had the best day of my life!” He leapt up into the air, before landing some training equipment, a dozy look on his face, “He’s perfect.”

 

“Hercules! I’m trying to speak to you! Get down here!”

 

“Down? How can I get down when I’m feeling so up?!” 

 

As Hercules launched himself high into the air, neither he or Phil noticed Pegasus following a gorgeous horse into a separate area.

 

Neither of them heard Pegaus yelp of alarm.

 

“I really need to talk to you kid!”

 

Hercules was still on cloud nine, practically bouncing over to Phil and lifting him into a big hug, “And if it wasn’t for you, I would never have met him!”

 

As Hercules continued to babbled in glee, trying to banter with Phil, the satyr tried to speak to him.

 

“Listen to me! Aladdin’s- “

 

“- a dream come true?”

 

“Not exactly, he’s- “

 

“- more handsome than Apollo?”

 

“No, he’s- “

 

“- the most wonderful- “

 

“- HE’S GOING TO BETRAY YOU!”

 

Hercules stopped in his tracks as Phil grabbed his wrists and screamed in his face, remaining silent as Phil continued.

 

“His Master wants you dead and Aladdin won’t have any choice but to obey him kid!”

 

“S-Stop kidding around Phil.”

 

“I’m not kidding around!”

 

“I know you’re upset about today, but you can’t just- “

 

“- You’re not getting the point kid!”

 

“Phil, I think I might actually love him!”

 

“Yeah, he might love you… but he’ll love his freedom more!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“Wait and see kid. He’s just going to betray you- “

 

“- Shut up- “

 

“- He’ll lie to you and- “

 

“- SHUT UP!” With the anger finally erupting, Hercules reared his fist back and punched Phil across the face, sending him flying back into some training equipment.

 

The anger was gone as quickly as it came.

 

“Phil…” Hercules whispered, suddenly realising what he’d done, “… Phil, I-I’m sorry.”

 

Phil ignored him, slowly pushing himself to his feet. “Alright…” he whispered, turning away from Hercules, “… Alright. You don’t want to listen to the truth, fine!”

 

He then went to leave.

 

“Phil? Where are you going?”

 

“Home… I’m done with this town.”

 

Hercules was stunned for a few moments, before shaking his head and glaring at Phil’s retreating back. “Fine! Leave! I-I don’t need you here anyway!”

 

As he turned his attention back to training, he failed to hear Phil’s parting words. 

 

“I thought you were going to be the all-time champ… not the all-time chump.”

 

Almost as soon as Phil was gone, the torches all blew out and an unfamiliar voice spoke from the shadows. 

 

“Geez… what got his goat?”

 

Glancing up at a training bar, Hercules watched as a grey skin man with flaming blue hair suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of him.

 

“The name’s Hades, Lord of the Dead, hey how you doing?”

 

“Not now…” Hercules turned away, only to take a step back when Hades reappeared in front of him.

 

“This won’t take long kid, only a few seconds, and I’m a fast talker. You see, I’ve got this major deal in the works, call it a real-estate venture if you will. And Herc, can I call you Herc, you are always in the way.”

 

“Leave me alone.”

 

As Hercules tried to leave the scene, he was suddenly grabbed and twisted around, causing him to stare directly at the God.

 

“WHY YOU- “Hades let go and took several deep breaths, “… Hear me out, okay? I would be eternally grateful if you would just… take the day off from this hero business of yours?”

 

“Not going to happen.”

 

Once again, Hercules tried to walk away, only to hear a sinister chuckling coming from behind him.

 

“I thought you might say that… so I have a little something to change your mind.” Hades clicked his fingers and Aladdin appeared out of nowhere, fresh bruises on his face.

 

“Aladdin!”

 

“Hercules! Run, get awa- “ He was gagged as chains wrapped around his entire body, causing him to fall to the ground, disappearing before Hercules could get to him.

 

“LET HIM GO!” Hercules growled, charging at Hades, frowning when he went straight through the God.

 

“Here’s the deal…”Hades acted as though Hercules had never done anything, “… you give up your powers for twenty-four hours, let’s say, the next twenty-four hours…” He clicked his fingers again and a gagged Aladdin appeared somewhere else, “… and Aladdin will be free. You’ll kiss, dance, schmooze, come on… what d’ya say?”

 

Hercules glanced at Aladdin, before turning his attention back to Hades. “People- people are going to get hurt aren’t they.”

 

“Nah… well you know, it’s a possibility, these things happen, war and all… but hey, what do you owe these people anyway?” Hades drifted over to Aladdin, gripping his face tightly and forcing him to look at Hercules, “Isn’t Aladdin, precious little Aladdin, isn’t he more important than them?”

 

“Stop it!”

 

“ISN’T HE?!”

 

Hercules was silent for a short period of time, before shaking his head and growling in frustration. “You’ve got to swear that he’ll be safe from any harm, that he won’t be hurt!”

 

“Fine, fine, fine…” Hades rolled his eyes, “… Aladdin will be safe, and if he does get hurt in the next twenty-four hours, then all your powers will be returned to you. Yada, yada, yada, how about we shake on it?”

 

Hercules hesitated.

 

“Look…” Hades snarled, “… I really don’t have time for this, on a bit of schedule here and everything, so I need an answer NOW! Going once…”

 

Hercules glanced at Aladdin, who shook his head frantically.

 

“…. Going twice…”

 

“Alright!” Hercules finally gave in, holding out his hand as Hades whooped in glee.

 

“Yes! We’re in business!”

 

Hades clasped Hercules’s hand tight, smirking as a bright light filled the air and the younger man started to fall to his knees.

 

Hercules meanwhile, felt like his very life was being sucked from his body, his bones seeming to turn to jelly as he collapsed to the ground weakly.

 

As he tried to get to his feet, Hercules groaned as his knees wobbled dangerously under him, Hades sniggering to the side of him.

 

“You may feel a little queasy, it’s perfectly natural… “The God lifted one of Hercules’s heaviest weights into the air, “… maybe you should SIT DOWN!”

 

He flung the weights at Hercules, chuckled as they propelled the ex-demi-God to the ground, preventing him from getting to his feet. He strained and pushed at the weights, desperately trying to dislodge them as Hades strode closer.

 

“There you go…” the God sneered, “… now you’re just like everybody else. Isn’t it just peachy?” There was a pause, before Hades chuckled menacingly, “Oh, you’re going to love this, one moment….” He got to his feet and turned his attention to the imprisoned Aladdin, “… Come on boy, a deal’s a deal. You’re off the hook.”

 

With a snap of his fingers, the chains around Aladdin disappeared as Hercules slowly wriggled free of the weights.

 

“What do you think Herc?” Hades chuckled, summoning Aladdin closer and pulling him close, “… and they say the Greeks are the better actors!”

 

“Get off me!”

 

Hercules frowned, watching as Aladdin struggled to pull himself free…. Something was wrong with this situation.

 

“What-what do you mean?”

 

“I mean, he was working for me the whole time… duh!” Hades cackled.

 

Aladdin continued to shake his head, with Hercules making the same movement unconsciously.

 

“You’re- you’re lying!”

 

Kicking away two small figures as they chanted “The heroes a zero”, Hercules watched as the demons morphed together and shifted into a parrot, as Hades shifted as well, changing into the form of a tall, dark-skinned man dressed in a smart, red and black.

 

“I’m his Master…” the man sneered, “… you are nothing to him.”


	5. Mortal

“I’m his Master…” the man sneered, “… you are nothing to him.”

 

Hercules stared at the man in shock, eyes darting to Aladdin, who was really struggling to get free. “You were the only one keeping me from going to prison and being executed!” he protested, “You were kind to me! Please Hercules, I never knew- “

 

“- I know.” Hercules gently interrupted, straightening up despite how weak he felt, “I know Aladdin.”

 

Aladdin audibly sighed in relief, only to yelp as Hades pushed him away with a derisive sneer.

 

“Sickening…” The God muttered, “…. Well, I gotta go kids. There’s a whole cosmos waiting for me up there, with my name on it!” A chariot appeared out of nowhere as he climbed onboard, “Goodbye to the preliminaries and off to the main event!”

 

As the God flew away, Hercules could stand it no longer and fell to his knees, Aladdin rushing over to him.

 

It was over… it was all over.

 

………………………………………………………………….

 

Up in the sky, the planets all aligned, sending a burst of cosmic energy straight down to the earth, causing a large whirlpool in the ocean.

 

Hades peeked over the edge of his chariot, peering into the void left by the energy to see bars made of lightning and eyes peering through them, roars and shrieks echoing throughout the area.

 

“BROTHERS!” He called down, “TITANS! LOOK AT YOU IN YOUR PRISON! WHO PUT YOU DOWN THERE?!”

 

“ZEUS!”

 

Pain and Panic yelped in fear at the deep, rumbling voices from down below, hiding in the chariot as they trembled.

 

“AND NOW THAT I SET YOU FREE…” Shadowy tendrils shot down, prying the lightning bars apart, “… WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU ARE GOING TO DO?!”

 

“DESTROY HIM!”

 

“… Good answer.”

 

One by one, the Titans emerged from their prison.

 

One made of rocks and boulders, “CRUSH HIM!”

 

One made if snow and ice, “FREEZE HIM!”

 

One made of molten lava, “MELT… ZEUS!”

 

And finally, one that was a giant tornado, “BLOW… HIM…. AWAY!”

 

As the Titans slowly moved towards the city, destroying everything in their path, Hades face-palmed in despair.

 

“Guys!”

 

They all turned to face him, as he gestured in the opposite direction they were going.

 

“Olympus, would be that way?”

 

“… ZEUS!” “FREEZE HIM!”

 

As the Titans headed in the right direction, Hades caught sight of the cyclops trailing on behind. “Hold it one-eye!” he called out, catching the creature’s attention, “I’ve got a special job for you my optically-chalaladdinged friend!”

 

…………………………………………………………………..

 

Hermes groaned at the loud rumbling that seemed to echo throughout Olympus, slowly rubbing his eyes and glancing down.

 

“ZEUS!” “DESTORY HIM!”

 

“Oh, that is not good!” Hermes exclaimed in alarm, leaping to his feet in complete panic, “We’re in trouble! Complete and utter trouble!”

 

He raced up to where Zeus and Hera were having their evening meal.

 

“Sorry, but we have a problem!” he announced, “The Titans have escaped, and they’re practically at our front gates!”

 

“SOUND THE ALARM!” Zeus bellowed, “LAUNCH AN IMMEDIATE COUNTER-ATTACK! GO! GO!”

 

“Gone man!”

 

One of the first people he went to see, was Hephaestus, who immediately set about constructing the lightning bolts needed for Zeus’s attack, finishing them just as the rest of the God’s went on the attack.

 

“Thank you Hephaestus!” Zeus yelled, before throwing a bolt down and shattering a part of the Earthquake Titan.

 

Unfortunately, his glee was short-lived as the Tornado Titan started to suck some of the Gods into it’s arms, chariots, winged horses and all.

 

And they were all unaware of Hades laughing in the distance.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Meanwhile, back in the city;

 

“HERCULES! WHERE ARE YOU?”

 

The cyclops knocked into buildings and smashed tribute statues in its fury.

 

“HERCULES! COME OUT AND PLAY!”

 

Hercules watched the figure towering above the buildings, bellowing his name in anger. When he started to weakly make his way towards the figure, Aladdin suddenly darted in front of him, hands out in front of him as he managed to stop Hercules in his tracks.

 

“What are you doing?!” he asked frantically, “Without your strength and powers, you’ll be killed!”

 

“I can’t let innocent people die!” Hercules immediately protested, moving Aladdin to the side and continuing.

 

“Hercules! Stop!”

 

Hercules didn’t. As he got closer and closer, the scared people started to cheer at the sight of him, grabbing the cyclop’s attention.

 

“SO, YOU MIGHTY HERCULES?!” The cyclops crouched down and sneered at Hercules, before backhanding him away with a loud “HA!”

 

Hercules went flying, propelled straight into a billboard as the crowd below went siAladdint in shock and Aladdin winced.

 

He had to do something… and then he heard a small clanking sound coming from a nearby area.

 

Racing towards the sound, he flung open the door and instantly spotted Pegasus pulling against ropes and harnesses that held him down.

 

“Steady! Woah!” he called out, reaching out to steady the winged horse, placing a calming hand on Pegasus’s face in order to settle him, “Listen to me… Hercules is in trouble and he needs our help. We need to find Phil, he’s the only one who can talk some sense into him!”

 

Almost as soon as Pegasus was free, he had Aladdin on his back as he shot off into the sky, flying towards the docks as quickly as he could.

 

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

The Titans were getting higher and higher, closer and closer to the gates of Olympus.

 

“GET BACK! I COMMAND YOU!” Zeus ordered, throwing another bolt at the Earthquake Titan… but I had no effect. With a mighty grunt, a boulder was thrown at the golden gates and they crumpled, falling to the ground and allowing the rest of the Titans accessed.

 

“ZEUS!”

 

………………………………………………………………….

 

Phil battled through the cold winds and the crowds to try and get onto the last boat

 

“Phil! Phil!”

 

Frowning at the voice, Phil turned around to face Pegasus and Aladdin, glaring at the human.

 

“What do you want?” he asked Aladdin rudely.

 

“Hercules needs your help!”

 

“Why does he need me, when he’s got friends like you?!”

 

“He won’t listen to me! He just wants to save the people in the city!”

 

“Let him!”

 

Before Phil could go to leave, Pegasus flew in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.

 

“Look!” Aladdin begged, “I didn’t know my Master was like that, and I swear I never helped him, but it’s not about me, it’s about Hercules! And if you don’t help him now, he’ll die!”

 

………………………………………………………………………………………

 

“I NEED MORE THUNDERBOLTS!”

 

Hermes shook his head in desperation, knowing that he’d just watched the last of the Gods and Goddesses being dragged away. “Everyone’s been captured my Lord!”

 

Someone grabbed his arms.

 

“I’ve been captured!”

 

As he watched Hermes being pulled away, Zeus spun around, only to come face to face with the Volcano Titan, who spewed lava all over him, with the Frozen Titan freezing it as it got harder and harder to get out of.

 

“Zeusy! I’m home!”

 

Zeus glanced up to his right in shock before he came to a sudden realisation. “Hades! YOU’RE BEHIND THIS!”

 

“You are correct Sir!”

 

………………………………………………………………..

 

Hercules grunted and groaned in face as the cyclops treated him like a football, kicking him up into the air… and then flicking him into a nearby building.

 

Which of course, was hilarious to the cyclops.

 

“Hercules!” he heard a familiar voice from above, causing him to glance up and sigh in relief… and a little bit of guilt.

 

“Phil?”

 

“Hercules!” Phil leapt off of Pegasus and rushed over, closely followed by Aladdin and Pegasus, “Come on Hercules, fight back! You can take him, look at him, he’s a pushover, barely two brain cells to rub together!”

 

“We didn’t… r-really train how to fight without m-my strength.” Hercules muttered weakly, forcing a smile onto his face.

 

“Yes, we did!” Phil exclaimed, “It was all about using your brain! Your intelligence is way more powerful than your strength! I’m willing to go the distance, are you?”

 

Before Hercules could answer, footsteps caused the ground to quiver vioAladdintly underneath them as a giant hand reached down and lifted him into the air, until he was eye to eye with the cyclops.

 

“ME, BITE OFF HEAD!”

 

Thinking quickly, Hercules lashed out with both fists, punching the cyclops in the eye, causing it to cry out in pain and drop Hercules. Thankfully, he landed on wheelbarrow, that somewhat broke his fall… although it still hurt.

 

Grabbing some rope that had been in the wheelbarrow, Hercules ran around the cyclops’s legs, wrapping the rope tightly around them before pulling it taunt.

 

With a desperate cry of fear, the cyclops toppled to the ground, its skull striking the corner of a nearby building, before it tumbled off the edge of a cliff.

 

It was over.

 

The adrenaline leaving his body in a rush, Hercules, fell to his knees unaware that he was still in danger.

 

“HERCULES!”


	6. Finale

“HERCULES! HERCULES, LOOK OUT!”

 

There was a rumbling from above, before Hercules felt someone shove push at him violently, sending him rolling along the floor just as someone hit the space where he once was.

 

Spinning around, Hercules felt the air leave his body as he spotted a familiar figure lying under a fallen column.

 

“ALADDIN! NO!” he screamed in desperation, rushing over and straining at the column, his face growing red with the effort of lifting something ten times his own weight. Suddenly, it felt like his skin was knitting back together, the aches and pains disappearing as he managed to lift the column high above his head, gasping in relief.

 

“What-what just happened?” he gasped, throwing the column over the edge of the cliff.

 

Aladdin smiled weakly up at him, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, a sign of severe internal injuries, “Jafar… Hades, whoever he is… he-he made a promise remember? He promised I w-w-wouldn’t be hurt!”

 

“Aladdin…” Hercules rushed over, gently lifting Aladdin’s head onto his lap, as he tried to avoid hurting the other man any further, “…What-why did you- “

 

“Are you… always this articulate?”

 

Hercules couldn’t help but chuckle slightly, ignoring the tears streaming down his cheeks, “Why?! W-why would you- “

 

“- People d-do crazy t-things, when t-they’re in l-love.” Before Hercules could say anything, Aladdin spoke up again, “Y-You don’t have m-much time, y-you c-can still stop H-Hades!”

 

Phil then moved to sit by him, giving Hercules a reassuring smile. “I’ll look after him Hercules… I promise.” They both knew it was a promise to be there for Aladdin when he did go… but neither of them were willing to say that out loud.

 

“You’re going to be alright Aladdin…” Hercules whispered, almost desperately, “… Promise me?”

 

Aladdin simply stared up at him, a soft smile on his face… he couldn’t promise anything.

 

Not wanting to hear any false promises, Hercules rushed over to Pegasus and ordered him to fly to Olympus.

 

Hades needed to be stopped.

 

………………………………………………………………………..

 

“I swear to you Hades, when I get out of this I- “

 

He was stopped in his tracks as the rock encased him fully, meaning he was unable to see Hades conjuring up a throne of his own, “I’m the one giving the orders now bolt boy…” he chuckled, conjuring a beer out of thin air, “… and I think I’m going to like it here.”

 

“Don’t get too comfortable Hades!”

 

Hades spun around and growled at the sight of Hercules and Pegasus flying straight towards him.

 

“Hercules!”

 

Slicing through the chains with his sword, Hercules smirked, “This oughta even the odds!”

 

When he realised that all the Gods, aside from Zeus, were now free, Hades screamed in anger and frustration.

 

“Yes!” Hermes cheered, grabbing Pain and Panic and throwing them into the distance, “Go Hercules!”

 

“GET THEM!” Hades ordered the Titans, watching as the Lava Titan went on the attack…. spewing lava all over the Lord of the Underworld as he went. “No! Not me, them!”

 

It was the Ice Titans’ turn, his ice breath freezing Hades solid as it attempted to freeze Hercules in mid-air.

 

“Follow the finger! T-T-t-t-the s-s-schmutz w-w-with t-the h-h-horse!”

 

Within seconds, Hercules made his way over to where Zeus was being held, and ripped the frozen rock away from the God, bright light shining through until an explosion sent the pieces flying everywhere.

 

“Excellent work my boy!” Zeus slapped Hercules on the back as Hades screamed in anger and frustration.

 

Meanwhile, as Hercules was helping the Gods, Pegasus shot down to where Pain and Panic where trying to run away.

 

“Oh God, please don’t hurt us!” Panic begged, “Our intentions were pure!”

 

“Yeah! We really were attracted to you!”

 

Needless to say, Pegasus didn’t listen.

 

Grabbing lightning bolts out of the air, Zeus cackled in glee, “Time to watch your old man work!” He bellowed, as the Titans visibly took a step back…. Before running away.

 

“GET YOUR TITANIAN REARS BACK HERE!” Hades ordered, “GET THEM IN GEAR AND KICK SOME OLYMPIAN BUTT!”

 

He then felt a cool breeze on his head.

 

“Woah, did my hair go out?”

 

………………………………………………………………………

 

Grabbing the end of the Tornado Titan, Hercules span it around until it was facing the other Titans, quickly sucking them into the tornado, before he started to swirl the tornado around and around and around, mixing them all together… and then letting go.

 

The Titans shot up into the sky, shooting off into the distance and disappearing without a trace.

 

“Yes! That’s my boy!” Zeus cheered, slapping his son on the back as Hercules whooped in glee.

 

“Thanks a ton Wonder boy” He heard Hades snarl from above, “But at least I’ve got one, small consolation prize! A friend of yours, who’s dying to see me!”

 

Hercules, who was chasing after Hades on Pegasus, stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening in realisation. “Aladdin!”

 

…………………………………..

 

Aladdin groaned and winced in pain, his breaths coming in shorter and faster… unaware of what was happening far below the earth.

 

A string was being drawn taunt.

 

………………………………………………………………………….

 

Hercules knew he was pushing Pegasus to the limit, but he had to get back to Earth.

 

………………………………………………………………………………..

 

Sharp scissors were brought closer to the taunt string.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Almost there, he was almost there!

 

…………………………………………………………………………..

 

The scissors closed, and the string was cut.

 

Up above Aladdin’s hand went limp in Phil’s grip, just as Hercules and Pegasus touched down.

 

“Aladdin!” Hercules cried out, taking a step back at the ashen look on Aladdin’s face.

 

Slowly, Phil twisted around to look at him, only to shake his head sadly and move away, allowing Hercules to kneel by Aladdin’s side.

 

“Aladdin, Oh, please no!” he begged, pulling the other man’s head into his lap. When there was no response, his shoulders started to shake, and tears made their way down his cheeks as he pulled Aladdin into a hug.

 

Almost five minutes passed in complete silence, broken only be the sound of Hercules sobbing.

 

“I’m sorry kid…” Phil whispered, kneeling by his side, “… there are just some things you can’t change.”

 

Immediately, Hercules’s entire posture changed. Slowly, he lowered Aladdin back down to the ground and pushed himself to his feet.

 

“Yes… I can.”

 

……………………………………………….

 

“AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!”

 

Pain and Panic ducked for cover as fire filled the room, burning the stone walls.

 

“WE WERE SO CLOSE!” Hades screamed, “So close! We tripped at the final hurdle, why? Because Ali just had to get all noble!”

 

Suddenly, his chamber started to shake violently, rubble dropping down to the ground. Seconds later, the stone wall exploded, and Cerberus burst through, Hercules standing on his head, ears in his hands.

 

“Where’s Aladdin?”

 

“Well, well, well…” Hades got to his feet, “… look who’s here! Wonder boy, you are too much!”

 

Clearly beaten, broken and burnt, Cerberus lowered his head, allowing Hercules to get off and grab Hades by the collar, practically pinning him against his throne.

 

“Let. Him. Go!”

 

“Oh, get a grip!” Hades sounded amused, prying Hercules’s fingers away from him, “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

 

Slowly, he led Hercules to a stone ledge, that over-looked a green, swirling pool… made up of the souls of people.

 

“It’s a small underworld after all, isn’t it…” Hades mused, gesturing at the pool.

 

As he stared down, a familiar face caught Hercules’s attention. “ALADDIN!” he knelt down and tried to grab the soul floating past, only to yelp in pain and pull his hands back, wincing at the sight of them being all wrinkled and aching.

 

“Ah, Ah, Ah!” Hades shook his head, “Not for touching! You see, Aladdin’s running with a new crowd nowadays, and not a very lively one at that.”

 

Hercules was silent for a short time, before a smirk appeared on his face and he turned to face Hades. “You like making deals, right? Take me in Aladdin’s place.”

 

“Hmmm…” Hades raised a hand up to his face, “… the son of my most hated rival, trapped forever in a river of death.”

 

“Going once!”

 

“Huh, is there a downside to this?”

 

“Going twice!”

 

Hades held up his hands, “Alright, alright, alright! You get him out and he goes…. You stay.”

 

Without another word, Hercules dived into the pool, desperately swimming to where Aladdin was floating.

 

Of course, with the speed that he dived in, he missed Hades’s next words.

 

“Oh, you know what, it just slipped my mind…. You’ll be dead before you can reach him. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?!”

 

In the pool, Hercules could feel himself aging, his bones getting stiffer and stiffer and his skin wrinkling under his gaze.

 

………………………………………..

 

The string was pulled taunt, and scissors edged closer.

 

……………………………………………..

 

He was so close!

 

He could almost touch him!

 

Just a few more seconds!

 

…………………………………………………………………

 

The scissor blade snapped together…. But the string didn’t cut.

 

Instead, it glowed a shining gold colour.

 

“What’s the matter with these scissors?!”

 

“The thread won’t cut!”

 

………………………………………………………………………

 

Hades felt like he was going to be sick as he watched a glowing, gold hand reach up to the ledge and grab it, muscles tensing as Hercules pulled himself up onto the ledge, Aladdin’s soul cradled in his arms.

 

“Th-that can’t be possible!” he found himself stammering, “”Y-you can’t be alive, that would make you a-a-a- “

 

“A God?” Both Pain and Panic finished at the same time, as Hercules stood up tall, his entire body on fire.

 

“AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!” Hades screamed in anger and frustration, “Hercules! You can’t do this to me, you can’t- “

 

A fist hit him in the face, his face disappearing under the force as Hercules casually strode past.

 

As his face morphed back, Hades shrugged. “Alright, well I deserved that!” He shot over to Hercules and tried to stop him from leaving, “Hercules! Hercules can we talk?! You know Zeus right? He’s the fun guy right, so maybe you can put in a good word with him and- “he paused, lifting Aladdin’s head up to make it look like he was looking at Hercules, “-Aladdin please. Speak to him!”

 

Hercules’s face twisted in anger, and with a snarl of fury, he struck the God into the face, propelling Hades into the green pool, continuing on his way out as the God struggled.

 

“GET OFF ME! DON’T TOUCH ME! GET YOUR SLIMY SOULS OFF OF ME!”

 

Up on the ledge, Pain and Panic were watching in alarm.

 

“He’s going to be so mad when he gets out of there!” Panic hissed.

 

“You mean, if he gets out of there.”

 

Turning to Pain, Panic smirked, “If… If is good.”

 

“Oh, I don’t feel so good….” They heard Hades groan down below, “… In fact, I’m feeling a little FLUSHED!”

 

With a desperate cry, Hades was gone…. Dragged to the bottom of the pool by the souls that were once under his guard.

 

………………………………………………………..

 

Slowly, without taking his eyes off Aladdin’s soul, Hercules knelt by the broken and battered body of his lover, ignoring the gasped shocks of Phil and Pegasus as he gently placed the soul back into the body.

 

The change was instant.

 

With a loud gasp, the wounds on Aladdin’s body disappeared and his back arched, like he’d received an electric shock right through his spine as the colour returned to his skin. When his eyes finally opened, they landed on Hercules and narrowed in confusion.

 

“Hercules? What- Why did you- “

 

Slowly, Hercules lifted him into his arms and pulled the younger man closer. “What can I say… people do crazy things, when they’re in love.”

 

“I-I-I- “

 

“- Are you always this articulate?”

 

Aladdin couldn’t help but chuckle at this, his eyes focused on Hercules as they moved closer together. Seconds before their lips could connect, there was a flash of lightning and a cloud appeared beneath their feet, lifting them up into the sky and through the clouds.

 

Within seconds, the cloud had arrived at the top of Mount Olympus, where the Gods and Goddess’s all stood cheering outside the golden gates.

 

“Three cheers for the Mighty Hercules!” Ares whooped

 

“Wahooooo! Go Hercules!” Hermes cried out beside him.

 

Turning away from Aladdin, Hercules stared up at the group of Gods and Goddess’s, instantly spotting the man who was his Father, and a gorgeous woman standing beside him. Slowly letting go of Aladdin’s hands, Hercules made his way up the stairs, with the woman rushing down to meet him halfway.

 

“Hercules…” she cooed, pulling him into a hug, “… I’m so proud of you!”

 

“…. Mother?”

 

As she nodded, Zeus came up and pulled Hercules into a hug of his own. “Well done my boy! You’ve done it, you’re a true hero!”

 

“You were willing to give your life, in order to save this young man.” Hera gestured at Aladdin, giving him a small wink as Aladdin tried to turn away from all the attention.

 

“For a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart…. Now at last, my son, you can come home.”

 

The golden gates opened wide to reveal the marble structures of Olympus, with the Gods and Goddesses crowding around Hercules immediately, all shouting their congratulations and exclamations of joy.

 

And Aladdin could only watch from the bottom of the stairs, the joy of being alive fading quickly. “Congratulations Hercules… you’ll be a great God.” He muttered sadly, turning away from the happy scene.

 

Meaning that he completely missed Hercules twisted around to try and see him, a big beam on his face…. until he saw how dejected Aladdin looked.

 

“You know… this is what I’ve always dreamed of.” He stated, eyes still on Aladdin, “… Mount Olympus… being with you guys…but a life without Aladdin, even an immortal life would be empty.”

 

At the mention of his name, Aladdin spun around, walking forwards as Hercules raced towards him.

 

“I’m sorry…” Hercules whispered, turning to his parents, “… But I’ve made my decision. I’d rather stay on Earth… with Aladdin. I finally know where I belong.”

 

Zeus and Hera glanced at one another, before smiling. 

 

Within seconds, Hercules stopped glowing as he grabbed Aladdin around the waist and kissed him solidly on the lips as the rest of the Gods and Goddesses cheered.


End file.
